Propeller



Oct. 2, 1928. 1,686,069

H. E. aucKLEN PROPELLER Filed Feb. 8, 1926 @www5 zwezao" Patented Oct; 2, 19.28.

HERBERT E. BUCKLEN, F IELKHAR'IL, INDIANA.

'.PROPELLER.'

Application led February 8, 1926. Serial No, 86,684.

The present invention'relates to a propeller for wind driven machines.

My propeller is particularly adapted for v use in connection with rwind driven water pumps, electric generators, and the like, Where the prime essential is to be able to start the unit to which the propeller is connected under various weather conditions and, especially, when there are winds of low velocity-say eight to ten miles an hour. There is very little energy in such low winds, and hence it becomes important to have a propeller the inertiaof which may be quickly and easily overcome so that full advanf tage may be taken of any succeeding puffs of wind. y l

I have found that for a given diameter and pitch a lighter ropeller will respond more quickly to win s of low velocity and accelerate fasterthan a relatively heavy propeller and, therefore, it is highly desirable that the weight be kept at a minimum consistent with strength. To make a propeller which is relativel light and strong, I employ a light substance, such as cork. This is ground up and then mixed with a suitable cementitious material. I next'form the propeller by forcing the mixture of cork and cement into a mould in which suitable means for reenforcing the propeller has been placed. Here it remains until the cement sets. However, I wish it understood that any substance other than cork may be employed.y if desired. What is necessary is that it be relatively light and have sullicient strength when mixed With a v suitable binder orvcement to" be used for the purposes above set forth.

Another feature of the invention Alies in 4o the f act that once a satisfactory propeller` design has been determined as respects diameterfpitch, and area, it is possible to produce any number of propellers by my method without any physical change of the factors involved..

Also', I find that a propeller of my invention when used on a wind electric plant, rotates at a speed not to exceed four or five hundred R. P. M. However, my construc' tion, due to its lightness, will permit of much higher speeds because `the centrifugal forces will be less than when relatively heavier materials are used. Therefore, a propeller of my construction might also be highly satisfactory for aeroplane use as well.

To acquaint those skilled in the art with the manner of construction and operating vmy invention, I shall now describe a specific embodiment of the same in connection with .the accompanying drawings.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view of a'propeller gf mydinvention taken on line 4-4 of Fig.

Figs 5-, '6, 7, 8 and 9 are cross sectional views of my propellertaken on lines 5 5, 6 6, 7 7, 8 8, and 9 9 respectively, of F 1g. 3. I

To make my propeller, I provide a mould 10 which comprises two separate sectipns 11 and 12. The mould may be constructed of cast iron, and two or more sections maybe used, if desired. .The under side of the upper section 11 is shaped to' conform to the contour of the propeller blades. The upper sideofthe bottom section 12 is likewise formed to conform to the contour of the bottom side of the blades.- These separate sections 11 and 12, respectively, vare held'together by means of suitable bolts 13 and their co-operating nuts 14.

y To make a propeller of my invention, I

points. Each arm is provided with a largeV number of openings or holes 19 which extend substantially vertically therethrbugh and along the longitudinal axes thereof. These openings serve as anchor holes for the material out of which the blades are Atombe.. moulded. The insert 15 should preferabl be made of a strong and light material,- suc as Wood, orthe like. It is clamped rlgidly in a central position with respect to the .mould by means of the bolt 20 and its cooperating nut 21. l

After .the insert is rigidly secured in` posilfirst place/between the opposite faces of the lll).

tion and the top section 11 securely fastened 1n place with respect to the bottom section 12 a mixture of some light subst-ance and a lthis, the mixture mightbe termed non describing su1table cement or binder therefor is introduced under pressure through the'openings or ports 22 at the o posite ends ofthe mould s 10. This mixture 1s forced towards the hubv hygroscopic. Since cork is a vegetable product and of a granular structure, the term granular vegetable might be used in the cementitious material formed by .mixin the cork and shellac -togethen Howev'er wish it expressly understood that the invention need not be limited toy the use r of cork or shellac, as it is obvious that any light material and a suitable binder therefor ma be employed. v

f he mould may alsoifbe heated if a ma' terial which sets or -hadens with heat more readily is useff This may be clonev for example, by rovidin suitable steam chambers therein. t may a so be heated in an oven, or in any other desirable manner. j

After the mixture has set, the mould is opened by loosening the nuts which hold down the upper section 11 so as to remove the casting, .which in this case is the completed propeller. The propeller is next v i nished in any desirable manner tomakepit w1 xather resistent.

Hence, itis se( nv that littlevor novhand .made,

work is required to make a propellery of my invention. Also, once a suitable mould'is no further attention need be given in getting the blades of the propeller of the proper diameter and pitch.

Also, I do not wish to limit the invention to a pro ller having two blades, as it is obvious t at by my method a propeller having any number of bladesmay be made by simpl changing the. s'ze and shape of the moul and also the respective parts of the reenforcing member. Furthermore, al-

though ,the anchor holes have been shown as extending vertically through the arms, it is not necessary that this construction be used.

`The anchor holes may extend through the arms in any desirable direction. Instead of the anchor'holes suitable anchor members may be arms.

more or less finely divided material of any suitable nature possessing light weight and strength when mixedwith a suitable binder or cement, and compressing this mixture into the form of a propeller.

Ido not wish to be limited to the det-ails shown or described. Also it is to be understood that the present 'invention is applicable equally well to wind mill impellers. B the term propeller both aircraft propellers and' fastened to or made integral with the These and other changes may be made without devlating from the basic principle of my idea which consists in the use of a` in the accompanying c aim, is meant `any helicoid construction such as a wind driven impeller, air craft propeller or the like.

claim s l A- propeller comprising a: core and a propeller sha ed bod surrounding the core and ormed o molde cork. Y l

In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name this 4th 'day of February, 1926.

' HERBERT E. BUGKLEN, 

